Monmouth first aid squad can seek fees in estate fight

A first aid squad in Monmouth County can seek compensation for legal expenses it spent during an 8-year court battle to secure $6 million from a widow's will, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled today.

Based on the 6-0 ruling, the Spring Lake First Aid Squad will have to wait for that to be resolved before it actually receives the money from the estate of Madeleine Stockdale.

The squad spent over $1 million pursuing the money, said its lawyer, William J. Gearty. He said they were pleased that the ruling allowed them to seek compensatory and punitive damages.

Stockdale had named the squad her primary beneficiary in a 1998 will. But another prepared just three months before her death in 2000 at age 91 named neighbor Ronald J. Sollitto as beneficiary.

In 2004, however, a state judge in Freehold called Sollitto a "schemer" and awarded the money to the squad, agreeing with squad claims that Sollitto acted improperly.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office in May dropped its case against Sollitto, and his former attorney, Michael A. Casale. They had been tried on charges of theft and conspiracy, but a mistrial was declared amid accusations of forgery by Sollitto and prejudicial errors by prosecutors.

A message seeking comment from Sollitto's lawyer, Frederick J. Dennehy, was not immediately returned. He had argued against damages.

Casale represented himself in this matter. He did not immediately return a message seeking comment. He had contended that only Sollitto exercised improper influence on Stockdale, not himself.